Bishop Vasyl Hovera

Mitred Archpriest Vasyl Hovera was born on December 11, 1972, in Ivano-Frankivsk (Ukraine). From 1990 to 1996, he underwent priestly formation at the Major Seminary and the Catholic University of Lublin, where he obtained a master's degree in Dogmatic Theology. He was ordained a priest on March 2, 1997. That same year, he began his pastoral ministry among Greek-Catholic believers in Kazakhstan. From November 11, 2002, he served as the Delegate of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches for Greek-Catholic believers in Kazakhstan and Central Asia. In 2005, he was awarded the title of Mitred Archpriest. Historical background on Byzantine-rite Catholic communities in Kazakhstan and Central Asia: There are sporadic records of the presence of Byzantine-rite Catholic believers in Central Asia dating back to the 17th century. However, it was primarily in the 20th century that their numbers increased significantly, largely due to the mass deportations carried out by the Soviet regime during the 1930s and 1940s. According to some estimates, between 1939 and 1953, approximately 150,000 Ukrainian Greek-Catholics were exiled to Central Asia, particularly to Kazakhstan. Among them were about 150 priests, most notably Blessed Oleksa Zaryckyj, Blessed Mykyta Budka, and the Servant of God Oleksandr Chira. Following the amnesty proclaimed in the wake of the political changes that occurred after Stalin's death in 1953, the Byzantine-rite Catholic presence in the region diminished considerably but remained constant. Pastoral activities were conducted clandestinely, but from 1991 onwards—following the dissolution of the USSR—they were able to operate openly. Greek-Catholic parishes were established in Karaganda, Pavlodar, Astana, Satpayev, Shiderty, and Almaty, along with more than ten communities in other locations. According to current estimates, there are approximately 10,000 Byzantine-rite Catholic faithful in the Central Asia region. They receive pastoral care from eight priests, with the assistance of five religious sisters. In 1991, the pastoral care of Byzantine-rite Catholic faithful was entrusted to H.E. Msgr. Jan Paweł Lenga, Apostolic Administrator in Kazakhstan and Central Asia. From 1996 to 2002, these duties were carried out by H.E. Msgr. Wasyl Ihor Medvit, O.S.B.M., serving as Apostolic Visitor for Greek-Catholic faithful in Kazakhstan and Central Asia. In 2002, Fr. Vasyl Hovera was appointed Delegate of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches for Byzantine-rite faithful in Kazakhstan and Central Asia. Today’s measures, concerning the Catholic Church in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, address the pastoral needs of these Byzantine-rite communities.